Takuma Sato of Japan and driver of the #14 ABC Supply A.J. Foyt Racing Dallara Honda celebrates after winning the IndyCar Series Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday. Photo by Jeff Gross, Getty Images

LONG BEACH – An iconic motor sports name synonymous with speed has finally made it back into victory lane.

Takuma Sato, driving a Honda-powered IndyCar owned by A.J. Foyt, moved into first place when Will Power made a pit stop and then led the final 50 laps to win Sunday's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the first triumph for Foyt's IndyCar team since July 7, 2002 when Airton Dare won on the oval at Kansas Speedway.

In giving Foyt a breakthrough victory in Long Beach, a place Foyt had never won as an owner or driver, Sato became the became the first Japanese driver to win in series' history.

Foyt, who won a record 67 IndyCar races as a driver, was not here to see Sato's historic victory as he's back home in Waller, Texas getting ready to have surgery on his sciatic nerve on Wednesday.

"The last five laps were the longest of anything," Foyt said in a statement issued to the media. "We have had a lot of drivers, but none on them wanted to win. This boy wants to win."

Foyt's son, Larry, the team director for A.J. Foyt Racing, was here on Sunday, and he described Sato's performance a "perfect drive," quite an achievement on a day that saw seven drivers crash. Reigning series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay was one of them. The 2010 Long Beach Grand Prix winner plowed into the wall in Turn 8 with 29 laps to go and finished 24th.

"Today and all of this week there were no mistakes," Sato said. "The car was just so fun to drive."

A quick 8-second pit stop helped Sato gain track position on this 1.968-mile, 11-turn circuit where passing can be next to impossible at times.

"Hopefully," Sato said, "this is just a start (for Japanese drivers in the IndyCar Series)."

Graham Rahal finished second in the race that ended under caution after Oriol Servia and Tony Kanaan made contact in Turn 1 on the last lap. It was the fifth runner-up finish for a Rahal on the streets of downtown Long Beach as his father and car co-owner, Bobby Rahal, finished second here four times as a driver.

Justin Wilson, who started 24th because he didn't complete a lap in qualifying, finished third followed by pole sitter Dario Franchitti, giving Honda a sweep of the top four positions. Last year, only one Honda-powered car finished in the top five in the grand prix.

"One of these days we will win one," Rahal said. "But what a day for Honda. They responded in a great way today."

Helio Castroneves held on to first place in the driver standings, even though he damaged his front wing after getting caught in the middle of a jam on Lap 9. He had to come in for repairs and was the last car running on the lead lap at one time during the race. Castroneves finished ninth, and holds a six-point lead over Sato.

NOTES

For the first time in the history of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, off-road trucks raced around the downtown street course. Robby Gordon, a longtime resident of Orange, brought his Stadium SUPER Truck series to the track to help promote Saturday's race at the Coliseum. Four ramps, placed in the slower sections of the track, launched the trucks 10 feet into the air during the exhibition ... Carlos Munoz won the Long Beach 100, leading the 41-lap Indy Lights race from start to finish.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.